


Strength and Peace

by InsaneJuliann



Series: The Evolution of Buddie [15]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-12 17:34:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29014416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsaneJuliann/pseuds/InsaneJuliann
Summary: Finally, Buck is ready to talk.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Series: The Evolution of Buddie [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1730287
Comments: 36
Kudos: 279





	Strength and Peace

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly I had almost half of this done last month, but then I kept fiddling with it. I think I'm pretty satisfied with how it turned out - and excited to keep moving us forward.
> 
> Obviously, none of this takes Season 4 into account. I've had the series pretty solidly plotted out for big events since this summer, and I figure we all know it's AU at this point post S3. :) So hope y'all don't mind that, and still enjoy!
> 
> Title inspired by: Burn Out by Imagine Dragons

Eddie woke up to soft, brief kisses against his neck. He hummed, tilting his head a bit so Buck had more room, and let his eyes drift back shut. 

“Chris?” he mumbled.

“Woke me up about ten minutes ago,” Buck said, pausing a moment to yawn. “It’s almost seven.”

Eddie groaned, giving himself a few more seconds before he shifted to get up. Buck let him, propping up on one elbow while Eddie sat up and stretched. He looked down at Buck, who still looked fucking exhausted. But not as tense, Eddie thought; a bit lighter and looser. Buck smiled at him, reaching up and curling his hand around the back of Eddie’s neck.

“C’mere,” he mumbled, tugging Eddie down even as he leaned up a bit more. They kissed, unhurried and easy. When they pulled back, Buck sighed and said, “Merry Christmas.”

Eddie grinned, giving Buck a quick peck on the lips. “Merry Christmas. Let’s get moving before Chris revolts.”

“I’d accept him as our overlord,” Buck said, getting out of the bed as well. Eddie grabbed some pants and a long sleeved shirt of Buck’s and tossed them his way, a little roughly, smirking. 

“You say that now, until he refuses to go to bed ever again.”

“He’d pass out eventually.” Buck sounded sure of it, but the glance he cast Eddie a moment later said otherwise. Eddie gave him his best ‘that’s what you think’ look, and tried not to laugh when Buck’s nose scrunched up unhappily.

They got dressed, and Eddie went to peek into the living room while Buck headed for the kitchen (and coffee, probably). Chris was peering excitedly at all the presents, the few he hadn’t seen because Eddie snuck out an hour or two after they put Chris to sleep and put them there. Eddie watched him for a moment, the way he was trying to look in his stocking without actually making it look like he had moved anything in there, before he went to join Buck in the kitchen.

“Taking my job?” he joked, seeing Buck already preparing a pan for the cinnamon rolls.

Buck grinned over his shoulder. “I thought maybe we could share. You can set them up… I’ll make sure they don’t burn….”

“Smartass.”

He did come over and take the tube from Buck, getting to work on setting them into the pan while Buck preheated the oven and then pulled down mugs from the cupboard to set next to the coffee pot. Eddie put the rolls in the oven, then leaned against the counter and watched as Buck grabbed a pot to put on the stove, some cocoa powder from the cupboard, sugar, and a whisk. 

“We’re obviously putting coffee in ours,” he stated.

Buck smirked and winked.

Chris came in after a few minutes, claiming he was following his nose, and leaned heavily against Eddie in a hug. If he thought Eddie didn’t notice the yawn he muffled against Eddie’s shirt, he was wrong, but Eddie let him get away with it. He rubbed a hand over Chris’ hair - which needed a trim - and let him go when Chris moved for Buck. Buck hugged him against his side with one arm, the other busy with the whisk.

Chris peered at the pot. “Can I help?”

“Sure. Get the milk for me, we’ll need to add it when this is bubbling.”

Soon, they were in the living room, hot chocolates (with coffee for Buck and Eddie; Chris had the slightest splash in his because he insisted he wanted it too) and cinnamon rolls with them. Chris was musing about what he thought his presents were. He must have practically inhaled his cinnamon rolls, because he was half done with the second and Eddie was barely halfway through his first. 

Buck slumped against Eddie’s side, turning his head and muffling a yawn in Eddie’s shoulder. “What else is on the agenda for today?” he asked.

“We’re pretty lazy,” Eddie said, shrugging. “We did the family thing yesterday afternoon at Abuela’s - the kids opened the gifts they got from everyone there then.” He cast Buck a glance. “You’re coming on Sunday yeah?”

“Of course,” Buck said. He straightened, reaching for his cocoa-coffee. “I already had to miss yesterday, no way was I planning to miss Sunday dinner.”

“You’ll get to meet Yvette then.”

“Yvette is the best!” Chris chimed from the floor, right in front of his Santa present. 

When Buck glanced at Eddie, he smiled and shrugged. “He’s right. Yvette’s everyone’s favorite. We all know it.”

Buck narrowed his eyes playfully. “I thought I was the favorite.”

“Yeah, but  _ Yvette  _ is here Buck.” Chris gave Buck a look like he should have known that that changed everything.

Eddie grinned. Buck chuckled, miming hurt with a hand over his heart. 

“Dad, can we open presents now?” Chris said, not quite whining but clearly getting impatient.

Eddie set his mostly finished cinnamon roll on the end table and gestured for Chris to go ahead. Chris wasted no time tearing into the paper, sending it almost flying into the air. Settling back on the couch, arm over Buck’s shoulders, Eddie settled in for the frenzy.

Chris tuckered out into a grumpy sleepy slump in the early afternoon. It didn’t take much work for Eddie to get him convinced to settle in bed for a bit, and ‘rest his eyes’ which he knew would turn into a nap. When he returned to the living room, Buck was on the couch, staring blankly at the mess that was the living room floor. Eddie dropped down next to him.

“Alright,” Eddie said. He stretched out on the couch, lounging a bit against the arm of it and tugging Buck with him. Buck came easily. He settled between Eddie’s legs, leaning against his chest. Eddie linked one of their hands together, half wrapped around Buck. “I’ve gotten four texts from Maddie this morning alone. What’s up?”

Buck took a deep breath and let it out - a little too heavy and shaky to be evenly. “I kind of lost it at dinner last night.”

“What happened?”

Buck was quiet for a bit. He twisted his hand, until it came loose from Eddie’s grip, only to start almost playing with Eddie’s fingers instead. He was staring down at them when he finally spoke. “Our parents are here.”

Eddie blinked. Somehow, it wasn’t what he expected, and at the same time, it didn’t feel like a surprise to hear.

“Maddie told them about the baby, a while back. She didn’t tell me what they said but she didn’t have to. I already know what it would have been anyway - how disappointed they were, how irresponsible it was, whatever. I guess she promised Mom though that she could be the one to give Maddie a baby shower, which meant they’d be coming here for it. And probably stay until the baby’s born and all.” Buck swallowed and took another shaky breath. “I didn’t… Maddie wanted me to be there too, and I didn’t want to. But I said I would, y’know, for her and the baby.” 

“Let me guess,” Eddie said quietly. “They showed up early.”

“Kinda,” Buck muttered. “Maddie texted me a couple weeks after all that to say they’d decided to come the week of Christmas, too, since it was all so close. That they wanted to do a ‘family Christmas’ - like that had ever really been a  _ thing _ . Not like this,” he clarified, gesturing vaguely at Eddie’s living room - at the trash bag of wrapping paper, the unwrapped gifts scattered a bit around the room, the now-cold cups of cocoa. “It was always….” He was quiet for a moment. “Christmas was more what me and Maddie did, not the whole family thing later in the day with them. That was… different.”

Eddie curled his other arm more around Buck and squeezed, waiting.

“Chim said to me, earlier this week, that Maddie had told him our parents weren’t bad people, just bad parents.” Buck made a noise that Eddie couldn’t really parse. “Maddie was always… they liked her better, you know? She was good at the whole public image thing, and smart-”

“You’re smart,” Eddie interrupted, frowning.

“Not like Maddie,” Buck said, shaking his head. “She was almost valedictorian at school, and she kicked ass through college, and was a nurse - real respectable and impressive. Easy to brag about to people. Never got in trouble, so nothing anyone could say against her or our parents.”

“And what, you were their rebellious kid?” It wasn’t that far outside of the realm of possibility - Eddie could see it, a bit. But Buck shook his head.

“Nah, not really. Just… not good enough, y’know? Especially compared to Maddie. They couldn’t brag about me to people. They - the life they wanted me to have wasn’t one I wanted or would have been happy with. I think the closest I ever got was when I tried for the SEALS. A good, manly, respectable thing to do right out of high school. Woulda been something that they could be proud of, that people back home would respect.”

Eddie shook his head, tucking his nose down into Buck’s hair. He rolled what he wanted to say in his head for a moment, before finally saying, “Can’t see it making you happy.” 

“It didn’t. I couldn’t do it - didn’t want to. I quit, and they  _ hated _ that. Mom was so embarrassed, so I just… didn’t really go home. It’s not like it really mattered. I did some college, I travelled. Decided to be a firefighter. Came here.” He slumped down a bit, grasping Eddie’s wrist and holding it tight. “I figured, I’m helping people, you know? I’m making a difference, still saving people.” He sighed. “Dad seems fine with it, but Mom is like - she wants to know where I’m  _ going _ with it. What are my  _ plans _ , have I looked into how to make fire marshal and what that’s like in different states, like maybe back home.”

Eddie snorted. “You’d get bored.”

“Yeah,” Buck said softly. Eddie could see a little bit of a smile on his face. He sighed. “Mom’s involved in local politics,” he said. “Started in the PTA when Maddie was a kid, worked her way up. It - Dad’s the one from the like, local family that everyone knows. But Mom’s the one that does the actual work. I used to wonder if she married my dad cause his name would make it easier for her.”

He didn’t know what to say to that. Eddie rubbed his thumb over the side of Buck’s. Buck was quiet for a bit, but Eddie knew there was more - so he waited.

“You know, if you ask my parents, they’ll tell you they support gay rights and all that, spout the usual buzzwords. But it’s different when it’s me - they talk about it like I could just choose - like there’s a  _ right _ choice to make and I should just do that. They want me to marry some nice girl from town, continue the family legacy, whatever. It’s not like I don’t like girls, so why can’t I just marry one, right?

“It was always weird, cause that just - it doesn’t work like that, but when I was younger… it was easier just to not really give them a reason to get on me about it. On top of all the other things I wasn’t doing right or good enough, why not just avoid this one. Someone woulda told them, if they’d seen me around with a boy or whatever, so it wasn’t like I could actually sneak around.I just -” Buck’s voice cracked a bit. “I wanted them to look at me, and want me - give me the same smile and talk about me the way they did Maddie…”

Eddie curled as much of himself around Buck as he could. He could feel Buck’s shoulders shake a bit, the hitching breaths as Buck tried to keep control. Eddie held him as tightly as he could, not sure what to say so saying nothing, just waiting. 

Buck cleared his throat. His voice was still scratchy hoarse when he said, “I kind of told them off last night, in the middle of dinner. Mom was chiding Maddie about eating well and her weight and bullshit, and they kept bugging me about how I’m not in a relationship and if there’s any ‘nice young ladies’ in my life, and - I lost it.” He sighed, dropping his head back on Eddie’s shoulder, staring at the ceiling. “I left Maddie to deal with them, and the mess I had just made, alone. But I couldn’t stay there anymore. I couldn’t-”

“You shouldn’t have had to. If Maddie wanted to put up with them, that’s fine for her, but you shouldn’t have to  _ for _ her.”

Buck hummed, an ambivalent noise.

Eddie hesitated, but eventually asked the question that had been plaguing him for a while now. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Buck let out a tired, heavy sigh, lifting his head again. “It - seemed stupid. Childish. I mean, my parents kinda suck, yeah, but at least they’re not… yours were….”

Eddie frowned. “It’s not a competition.”

“I know. I just - I know how hard it was for you, and I didn’t want you to think I was….” Buck trialed off, voice small. “It felt like I’d just be complaining.”

“They  _ upset _ you.” Eddie swallowed, jaw clenching. He took a slow, deep breath, wrangling the anger. “Even if it was complaining, I’d want to hear about it, because it matters to you. You get that, right? I’m not - I wouldn’t get upset that you want to talk about shit. I don’t -” He cut himself off, frowning. “I don’t want you to think that you can’t talk to me about things, even little stuff. Even if it seems small and petty and silly.”

“Yeah?”

“It matters, cause you matter.”

Buck sniffed, then let out a choked laugh, dropping his head back on Eddie’s shoulder to glance sideways at him. “Fuck you for making me cry on Christmas, you asshole.”

Eddie shook his head, smiling a bit. He turned his head so he could press a kiss to Buck’s temple, lips lingering there as he closed his eyes. “And hey - none of that sounded stupid or childish to me, Buck. It sounds like your parents are pretty shitty parents, and I get entirely why you don’t talk about them or want to see them.”

He could feel as some last hidden bits of tension in Buck’s shoulders and back dissipated. Buck twisted a bit, so he was almost on his side and curled against Eddie, one of his arms slinging over Eddie’s torso as well. 

“Thanks,” he said after a moment, voice a bit croaky sounding. 

Eddie just held him tighter, rubbing up and down what he could reach of Buck’s arm. He wasn’t too surprised when Buck seemed to doze off against him. Buck had told him before that he’d been sleeping poorly lately, and Chris had gotten them up early enough after a late night that Buck was probably more tired than he’d let on. It wasn’t exactly a comfortable position or place for it, but Eddie didn’t mind staying there for a little while. He fooled around on his phone - texted Marisol a selfie of him and Buck when she asked what he was doing, played a game Karen had got him hooked on - and when his arm started getting painful pins and needles, he nudged Buck awake.

“Bed’s more comfortable,” he murmured.

Buck blinked at him, still half asleep. 

Eddie couldn’t help smiling; he leaned in and kissed him softly.

“Time’s it?” Buck mumbled.

“A little after two. Chris is still napping. We’re just heating up leftovers Abuela sent home with us yesterday for dinner. So c’mon - bed, Buck.”

Buck mumbled something inaudible, clumsily getting off the couch and heading for the bedroom. He fell face first onto it, and only moved enough to curl an arm around Eddie when he joined him. After a few seconds, he turned his head so he could see Eddie.

He looked a bit more awake, though still like he was on the edge of sleeping.

“M’parents never wanted me,” he said suddenly. “I was a mistake. ‘S why Maddie’s so much older.”

“Buck -”

“And people leave. Always. They just eventually get tired of me and leave me.” He swallowed. “‘Cept you. Even when I piss you off. You just… you’re still there. I don’t - I can’t….” He let out a shaky breath. “I’d have probably fallen in love with you for that alone.”

“I’ll say it as long as you need to hear it - we’re not going anywhere, Buck.”

“I know.” Buck closed it his eyes, sighing. “Got my back, right?”

Eddie smiled slightly, fond, and brushed Buck’s hair off his temple. “Always man.”

He kept carefully stroking that little lock of hair until Buck fell back asleep - and even for a bit after.

Eddie fumbled his phone and gave it a bleary glance. He cast a look towards Buck - still sleeping - before slipping out of the bed and into the hall before answering.

“Hey Karen, what’s-”

“Look, I hate playing the telephone game, but Buck’s with you right?”

“Yeah.”

“And he’s okay?”

Eddie paused. “For a relative value of okay, sure.”

“Right.” Karen sighed. “Chim called Hen, because I guess Maddie’s having a bit of a freak out, and no one’s really thrilled about that with how soon her due date is.” 

Eddie grimaced. “How much did he tell you guys?”

“Something about a bit of an argument? He wouldn’t even call it that, but that’s what Hen got out of it - and that Buck pretty much up and left and no one was sure where he was.”

“He’s fine, he’s with us. Showed up in a bit of rough shape, but… we got a handle on it.”

Karen hummed. “I’ll tell Hen to get Chim and Maddie to chill then.” She waited a few moments. “You sure you two are okay? I’m pretty sure Chim might have also called Bobby, so….”

Eddie made a face. Great - he’d probably need to get Buck to call Bobby and Athena. Eddie hadn’t expected not answering Maddie’s texts to lead to this kind of blow up, and he doubted Buck had either. Best to reassure everyone, sooner than later, so they could get back to their holidays. “We’re okay. It’s nothing that needs immediate action. He just - needed someplace safe.”

“Mhm,” Karen agreed. “And where else would he go but to you.” Eddie could almost hear the smirk in her voice. 

Rolling his eyes, he said, “Well, I’ll let you get back to your Christmas, then, now that you can have Chim call off whatever search party he was about to start gathering.”

Laughing, Karen let him go. Eddie pocketed his phone, going back down the hall to peer into Chris’ room.

Chris was on his bed, new shark pillow behind his head and one of his Dog Man books open on his chest. He glanced up at Eddie and smiled.

“Hi Dad.”

“Hey buddy. You hungry?”

“Sure.” As Chris climbed out of bed, he asked, “Is Buck still here?”

“Yeah, but he’s still napping. We’ll get him up in a bit if he’s still asleep, okay?”

“Okay.”

They brought out the leftovers from yesterday at Abuela’s, sticking some in the oven, heating others up in the microwave. Eddie pretended he didn’t see Chris snatch up a cookie from the counter, smiling to himself. 

Maybe half an hour later, Buck wandered in, slight frown between his brows and pillow creases still on his cheek. He set his phone on the counter as he walked by, bringing a smile to his face when Chris greeted him. Eddie kept an eye on him, and another on the plate of leftovers he was making for himself.

Buck turned to him, one arm going around Eddie’s waist and his forehead dropping onto Eddie’s shoulder. 

“Hey sleepyhead,” Eddie murmured. “Hungry?”

Buck grunted; a few moments later he tilted his head to eye the food on the counter. “Kinda.”

“Have whatever,” Eddie said, gesturing. “Like I said, we’re pretty chill after presents.”

They ate. They lazed around on the couch, watching Christmas movies on TV. Chris played with some of his new toys and read more of his book. Buck joined him in playing around a bit, tried to get Eddie to play another new phone game he was into. Eventually, Eddie hustled Chris to take a bath before bed, and he and Buck got him tucked in. He insisted on being read an extra chapter of the book, since it was Christmas. Buck, stretched out on the other side of Chris, joined in on giving Eddie a pleading pouty face.

“You’re a menace,” Eddie said to him flatly, before opening the book back up and continuing for another chapter. 

When they mostly closed the door to Chris’ room behind them, Eddie leaned in, pressing a slow kiss to Buck’s mouth, then trailing his lips close to his ear. “Shower?”

Buck swayed forward. His hands landed on Eddie’s hips, flexing. “Tempting,” he said, voice a little rough. “Seriously. But…” He pulled back a little, enough Eddie could see a bit of a grimace on his face even as he avoided Eddie’s eyes. “I told Bobby I’d call him.”

Eddie smiled, tugging Buck in for another kiss. “Okay. You know where to find me if you need me.”

Buck snorted softly, a smile on his face and easing the tension there. “Yeah, yeah.”

He took his time showering, then drying off and getting dressed. He cleaned up a bit in the living room some more, tried to find stuff to do in the bedroom, and finally stood there with his hands on his hips, frowning. Eddie didn’t want to intrude, but it’d been a while - long enough he’d have expected Buck to have finished up and come back to bed. He hadn’t seen Buck in the kitchen or anywhere, which meant he had to be outside, and it was getting late and cold.

Eddie peeked out onto the front porch, but it was empty. The street was quiet, no cars going by, most people headed to bed already probably. He locked the door behind himself, then headed quietly for the back door.

Buck was on the porch steps, bent forward and curled around his knees. He wasn’t on the phone anymore, clearly, but he didn’t seem to notice Eddie either. He hesitated a moment, before making himself come over. 

Not wanting to crowd Buck, Eddie sat down with a bit of space between them. Close enough he could easily reach out and touch, could lean in and they would be pressed together, but giving Buck space that he seemed to be needing. 

For several minutes, they sat there in silence. Eddie glanced between Buck and the sky and the yard, letting his mind drift. He wished there was a way he could help, could make everything better, but there wasn’t. He just… he had to believe being there was enough, or he’d drive himself crazy. Hopefully Buck would tell him if he did need anything.

Eventually, he glanced over at Buck, who hadn’t moved at all.

“You’re gonna freeze your toes off.”

He couldn’t really see Buck’s face well, but he thought maybe Buck had smiled. Some of the tension in his shoulders and arms seemed to lessen at least.

“S’not that cold. Gets way worse in Pennsylvania.”

Eddie rolled his eyes. He leaned in, pressing his chin against Buck’s shoulder, digging it in just a bit to maybe annoy Buck into actually moving. Buck’s head tilted into him, but otherwise he didn’t react. Eddie gave him a few more minutes.

“C’mon,” he said finally, encouraging. “Come to bed.”

“Yeah,” Buck sighed, lifting his head and uncurling. “Okay.”

Eddie caught his elbow when Buck seemed to stagger a bit. Buck grimaced, grumbling, “my foot fell asleep.”

“Told you it’d freeze.”

Buck huffed a laugh, smiling, giving Eddie a look. Eddie grinned back at him. Rolling his eyes, Buck curled their fingers together, leading the way to the door and holding it open for him. The house was pleasantly warm compared to the outside night air, and Eddie was looking forward to climbing into bed under the covers. 

He waited by the bedside as Buck fumbled out of his jeans and then pulled off his hoodie. He only pulled on a large t-shirt to sleep in, before he wiggled into the side of the bed Eddie was starting to think of as Buck’s.

He joined him, immediately scooting over and wrapping his arms around Buck, who willingly came and settled against Eddie. Eddie stroked up and down Buck’s back, but he didn’t say anything and neither did Buck. The air kind of felt expectant.

“I told Bobby. About my parents.”

“Yeah?” Eddie said softly, even though he’d kind of figured that’d been what would happen.

Buck hummed. His fingers rubbed absently at Eddie’s ribs. “He kinda said what you did, that just cause Maddie’s okay seeing them and wants me there too, doesn’t mean I have to. That I could, you know, support her without having to do that.”

Eddie didn’t say anything, just kept stroking Buck’s back, and waited.

“I feel like I’m being a bad brother, like I’m being selfish,” Buck whispered, voice hoarse. 

“Buck-”

“Like, in my head, I - I know that’s not true. And if it was, like,  _ you _ or Hen or… anyone else. I’d be saying that too, to them, and I’d believe it. But….”

“It’s harder, when it’s you.”

“I don’t know why.” Buck was quiet for a moment. “Or, I mean. I… do. But. But I know it’s -” He cut off again. Eddie glanced down, caught the deep frown on Buck’s face. He just barely avoided being clipped when Buck pushed up on his hands suddenly, frowning down at Eddie.

“I’m not a bad person,” he said, firm, but….

“No,” Eddie agreed, reassured, reaching up and curling his hand into Buck’s hair, holding the back of his head. “You’re not.”

“I maybe used to be-”

“You might not have always been the best person,” Eddie interrupted, frowning himself. “You might have made mistakes - you might in the future. You’re only human Buck. We all are. Doesn’t mean you’ve ever been a  _ bad _ person.”

“So why do I feel like one?” Buck asked, almost desperate, staring at Eddie like he’d have answers for him. “Why do I feel like I’m not a good person, and that means I can’t, like, let myself let people down?”

“I don’t know,” Eddie said softly, frowning. He tugged Buck gently, and then leaned up on an elbow when Buck didn’t move. He kissed him, soft and brief - on the lips, then his forehead. “But I will tell you as much as you need to hear it. You’re not a bad person. You’re allowed to say no, to take care of yourself, even if goes against what other people want you to do. Especially then.”

“Maddie - I love her so much, Eddie, she was more a parent to me than my actual parents, but -”

“It’s okay,” Eddie soothed. He finally managed to bring Buck back down so they were laying down, and Eddie could stroke his back some more, holding him close and tight. Buck practically clutched at him. “She loves you too, Buck, and she’s not going to hate you because you can’t spend time with your parents. She’s still gonna love you. You’re not a bad person.”

Buck didn’t say anything. For a while, his breathing was shaky and loud, though Eddie didn’t think he started crying. It smoothed out, not too long later. Buck sighed heavily. 

“Do you think Frank has room for another patient?” he mumbled. Eddie wasn’t entirely certain if Buck was joking or serious - maybe Buck wasn’t sure.

“Can’t hurt to find out,” he settled on saying. 

Buck shifted, getting more comfortable. He sighed again, almost a yawn, and said, “Thanks. For listening.”

“Anytime. I got your back.”

Buck smiled, turning his head to press it against Eddie’s chest. After a moment, he said, “And I got yours. Love you.”

Eddie swallowed the thickness in his throat, and after a few false starts, said, “I - you too, Buck, You too.”

Buck’s smile grew, but he didn’t open his eyes. 

Eddie ended up staring at him until he fell asleep. 


End file.
